title: Adverse effects of neonatal exposure to 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl on hormone levels and testicular function in male Sprague-Dawley rats.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the time-course changes of hormone levels and sperm numbers in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats after neonatal exposure to 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB169). Neonatal rats were given (through oral gavages) doses of 0, 0.025, 0.25, or 0.5 mg/kg-day of PCB169 in corn oil from postnatal day 1 (PND1) to PND7. The rats were sacrificed at PND8, PND21, and PND90. PCB169 exposure was confirmed by the marked induction of liver CYP1A1 mRNA expression at these three time points. The testicular daily sperm production and the sperm counts of the epididymis cauda significantly decreased at PND90 compared to that of control. Although reductions in serum thyroxine and triiodothyronine levels occurred at all these three time points and at both PND21 and PND90, respectively, the mRNA expression of testicular thyroid hormone receptor α1 was suppressed significantly only at PND8. The serum and testicular testosterone (T) levels declined markedly at PND90 compared to the controls, but there was no effect at PND21. The mRNA expression of testicular steroidogenic factor 1 was inhibited markedly at the three time points, whereas those of StAR, P450c17, P450scc, and 3β-HSD were suppressed significantly only at PND90 relative to the controls. PCB169 treatment had no effects on pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels and on their receptors' expression in the testes. These results indicate that neonatal exposure to PCB169 damages hormone levels and testicular function in the long-term, resulting in persistent hypothyroidism and decreases in adult T levels and sperm counts.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Fudan University, P.O. Box 288, 130 DongAn Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Wusheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiren
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013076:Sperm Count; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006728:Hormones; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; C027309:3,4,5,3',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl